The present invention relates generally to the field of communications systems. More particularly, the present invention relates, in one aspect, to communications contact centers, including distributed or virtual call center functionality. Still more particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to virtual contact centers incorporating systems and methods for performing agent authentication in networks in which DTMF signaling facilities are not universally available.
Previous patent applications (i) and (ii) cited above, describe network-based call centers featuring interaction between calling parties, a call control server, a merchant server and one or more agents or customer service representatives (CSRs), which CSRs may be distributed over a number of locations remote from the customer and servers. Using high speed data networks, including the Internet, and/or the public switched telephone network (PSTN) customers contact CSRs in a controlled manner, with sufficient information available at CSR stations to answer customer questions, receive customer orders, or otherwise to serve customer needs. Such network arrangements are referred to as virtual call centers.
In some cases, a customer will originate a telephone call that is extended to a CSR exclusively over the PSTN, but under the control of the call control server. In other cases, a customer may be in controlled contact with a CSR exclusively over a data connection, and in other cases contact between the customer and CSR will include both a data network portion and a PSTN portion. Callback techniques, by which calls are originated by a CSR in response to a contact made by a customer to a merchant location over a data link, prove attractive to customers for some merchant applications. Using well-known voice-over-IP (VOIP) techniques, a voice call may be carried over a data network for all or part of its extent.
Network controls to enhance network and transaction security typically include voice and CSR data terminal login procedures, and selective dissemination of merchant and control pages to CSRs and customers. Provision is readily made for CSRs to login and logoff at the beginning and end of a work shift, and to accommodate periodic CSR breaks. Additionally, when customer calling rates are not sufficient to keep scheduled CSRs occupied, the earlier-described systems and methods provide flexibility in temporarily releasing CSRs to pursue other activities. Because CSRs may be working from home or other non-traditional workplaces, such flexibility often proves very attractive to CSR personnel.
While the term customer is clearly appropriate for network-based sales transactions using the described techniques, the term applies equally well when callers seek information, assistance and other services as well. Thus, for example, the prior teachings of incorporated patent applications (i) and (ii) will prove useful in providing library and other reference and consulting functions, in emergency and disaster applications, in political and other polling applications and a host of other applications. Incorporated patent applications (iii) through (vi) cited above likewise further illustrate (but by no means exhaust) contexts and services to which the prior inventive teachings may be applied. Simplicity of presentation dictates that the present description be based on an illustrative sales transaction context, i.e., the merchant will be assumed to be a supplier of goods or services. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present inventive systems, techniques and principles will also apply to many other particular contexts. The term merchant will therefore be understood to include many non-merchant contexts, e.g., emergency service call centers.
While solutions provided by the several incorporated patent applications prove very useful for a wide variety of virtual call center network configurations and for many diverse applications, considerable reliance is placed in these contexts on verification of the identity of customer service representatives (CSRs). Thus, a number of login procedures are described in the incorporated prior patent applications that help establish the authenticity of a CSR and his/her interactive environment. In one aspect, such login procedures employ a voice callback from a call control server or other network device having security responsibilities.
Thus, when a CSR logs in to a virtual call center call control server using a computer login procedure from a CSR work site, certain aspects of the computer can be authenticated. To further authenticate the CSR and the location from which the CSR is participating in the VCC, a voice callback over a voice network such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) is typically placed to the PSTN address (i.e., the POTS number) for an approved CSR site.
While the operational site for a CSR may, in general, be moved, the CSR and call control server must agree on its identity and location to ensure a proper level of security for processing customer calls. When a callback by the call control server to the agreed POTS number is placed following a computer login by the CSR, the authentication process is advantageously advanced by presenting a voice message to the CSR requesting that a sequence of signals be keyed by the CSR using a telephone keypad to send dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals. In some cases, however, such DTMF signaling is not available, thus preventing this important authentication step from being accomplished.
Limitations of the prior art are overcome and a technical advance is made, and the above-cited and other problems are solve in accordance with the present invention described in illustrative embodiments herein.
A virtual call center system includes facilities for delivering voice authentication prompts upon callback to a CSR who has logged-in via a computer link. In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention a voice response unit (VRU) provides such voice prompts to a CSR under the control of a VCC call control server. The voice prompts are advantageously in the form of a sequence of random characters generated at the call control server. Upon receipt of such voice prompts, the CSR seeking authentication then keys in the character sequence at his/her computer terminal for delivery over the computer link to the call control server. When the keyed sequence from the CSR is received at the call control server in an expected form, the CSR is determined to be authentic.
In appropriate cases, the either or both of the voice prompt from the call control center VRU or the keyed character sequence from the CSR may be encrypted to further raise the certainty of authentication. In some embodiments, the prompt sent to a CSR may be a data prompt sent via the computer link.